


The One Where Carlos Brings Soup

by tigermo09



Series: The One Where... [4]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Male Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-23 06:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23006839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigermo09/pseuds/tigermo09
Summary: Carlos brings soup for Owen and learns what kinds of shows he likes to watch.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes & Owen Strand, Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: The One Where... [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1633087
Comments: 10
Kudos: 275





	The One Where Carlos Brings Soup

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like I had lost my muse for a little bit. I’d start to work on ideas and couldn’t finish. This one stuck. Hope you enjoy!

Carlos rang the doorbell of the Strand house. After a minute, he could hear shuffling on the hardwood floors of the foyer. The lock was turned and the door opened.

Owen, wrapped in a blanket, stuck his head out. “Carlos? What are you doing here?”

Carlos lifted the bag in his hand. “I come bearing some chicken soup. My mama’s special recipe.”

“How did you know I would be here?”

“T.K and I were texting earlier and he mentioned you were home today because you were feeling a little rundown after your last chemo treatment. I was visiting my parents and Mama said I had to bring some soup for you.”

“That was sweet of her,” Owen replied as he opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Well, come on in.”

Carlos noticed his boyfriend’s father looked a little pale and gaunt since the last time he saw him. Based on what T.K told him about chemo and what he had been reading online, he knew Owen was probably feeling nauseous and might not want to eat. 

“This chicken soup is well-known in my parent’s neighborhood as being able to heal your body and your soul!” Carlos gave Owen a huge grin. “Would you like some now or should I just put it in the fridge for later? It reheats nicely.”

“Actually, the soup sounds amazing right now. Could you just pour me a little though and I’ll see if my stomach can handle it. I haven’t felt like eating much this morning.”

“Of course,” Carlos replied as he started heading towards the kitchen. “Why don’t you settle on the couch in the den while I get it ready for you? Do you want anything else while I’m in the kitchen?”

“Just some water please. Thanks,” Owen said as he headed to the den.

Carlos heated some of the soup for Owen in the microwave and grabbed a glass to fill with water.

When he turned the corner into the den, Owen was sitting on the right side of the couch, still wrapped in a blanket, with the tv remote in his hand.

Carlos put the soup and the water on the coffee table in front of Owen and sat down on the opposite side of the couch.

“Be careful. I heated it up, so it's a little hot,” Carlos said to Owen in warning when he leaned forward to grab the bowl.

“Thanks,” Owen said in response. He sat back into the couch with the bowl and raised a spoonful to his mouth. He blew across the spoon for a few seconds before he took a sip.

“Oh man,” Owen groaned. “This is really good.”

Carlos smiled. “I’ll tell my mama you like it. She’ll probably keep you well stocked from now on. She can never resist feeding people.”

Owen chuckled as he took another spoonful of soup. 

Things got quiet between the pair after that. The only sounds coming from the tv and the slurping of the soup as Owen slowly ate. It wasn’t an entirely awkward silence, but Carlos felt somewhat tense. He and T.K. had only officially been dating a couple of months. Aside from interactions at work and a couple of dinners, Carlos hasn’t had much of an opportunity to really get to know the older Strand. Or to fully assess how Owen felt about him dating his son. But he wanted to know everything about the person who fathered the man who was quickly becoming his whole world.

Instead of trying to force conversation though, Carlos settled more fully into the couch and focused on learning more about him by seeing what program held his attention.

Some women were sitting around an elegantly decorated table and dressed for a night out. However, conversation was starting to get heated between the ladies as they discussed some rumors that were circulating amongst the group. It wasn’t until a commercial break that Carlos found out what they were watching. 

“The Real Housewives?!?”

Owen looked at Carlos. “The Real Housewives of O.C. to be exact. Have you seen it?”

“No. I don’t watch a lot of cable television, except for ESPN. With my work schedule, I find it's just easier catching things streaming online. But I have a co-worker who loves watching it. From what I understand they film it in different cities, correct?”

“Yes,” Owen replied. “Besides O.C., I only keep up with Beverly Hills, New York, and Atlanta. I’ve been wondering if I should check out Dallas now that I call Texas home.”

Carlos smirked at Owen. “T.K. never mentioned you were a fan of the show.”

“He’s probably too embarrassed to admit his dad is hipper than him.” Both men chuckled. 

“Not if you’re throwing the word ‘hipper’ around,” Carlos replied slightly in jest.

“Touché.” Owen continued, “The show has somehow become a guilty pleasure. I’ve found it's something mindless to help turn the brain off after a long, hard shift. I only started watching after I met some of the New York cast a few years back.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, there was a fire in the kitchen of one of the restaurants they happened to be filming at. People were taking photos of the ladies on the street and I didn’t know who they were, so one of the other firefighters had to clue me in. Then two of the ladies started screaming at each other about one not being invited to some event. That lady went home in tears, while another flirted with me and asked for my number. I wasn’t quite sure what the appeal of the show might be. So on my day off, I found some episodes and got hooked.”

Owen put the empty soup bowl back on the coffee table and took a sip of water.

“Do you think you’ll be able to keep that down? Do you need to take your anti-nausea medicine?” Carlos asked.

“Feeling okay for now,” he replied.

“Well, now that I made sure you ate, I can get out of your hair so you can rest.”

“No. Stay. That is if you don’t have anywhere you need to be.”

“Nah, no plans. I can stay.”

“Thanks. It’s nice having company,” Owen said as he smiled at Carlos. “Plus I feel like I need to help educate you on what shows you’re missing out on now that you’re dating my son”

Carlos smiled in return. “Bring it on!”

&&&

A few hours later, T.K. walked into the house he shared with his father. He dropped his duffel bag by the door and kicked off his work boots.

“Dad?” He called out. After he got no response he called out again. “Carlos?”

T.K. had been surprised to see his boyfriend’s car parked out front.

Hearing only the low murmur of the television, T.K. headed to the den. He paused at the entrance and smiled.

His father and boyfriend were both asleep on the couch. Seeing the two most important people in his life together made his heart happy.

He quietly padded over to Carlos and placed a kiss on his forehead. When he pulled back, he saw Carlos’ eyes flutter open.

“Hey, Babe,” he whispered.

“Hey, Tiger,” Carlos purred happily in response and started stretching his arms and legs. 

T.K sat down gently on the couch between the two men and placed a hand on Carlos’ thigh.

“What are you doing here?” T.K. inquired, continuing to keep his voice low.

“My mom wanted me to bring over some soup for your dad after you told me he was home sick today. He seemed to really enjoy it and he was able to keep it down. There is more in the fridge for later.”

“That was sweet. Tell your mom thank you.”

“You can thank her yourself this weekend.” Carlos paused. “She wants to have us over for dinner so she can finally meet you.”

T.K smiled shyly. Carlos smiled back and leaned forward to kiss T.K. gently on the lips. 

As he settled back into his position on the couch, he raised his arm and put it around T.K shoulders before pulling him into his body.

“So what did you all do today?” T.K. asked as he put his head in the crook of Carlos’ neck and shoulder.

“Your father explained his love affair with the Real Housewives franchises to me.”

“Oh god,” T.K. said as he rolled his eyes.

Carlos chuckled in response. “It was highly entertaining. He dozed off after a couple of episodes. I must have followed soon after.”

T.K. rotated his head and looked more closely at his father. Owen’s head was tipped backward, resting on the back of the couch. He had his favorite blanket wrapped around his body. His arms were laying heavily next to his body, the remote loosely held in his left hand. T.K gladly noted Owen had a little more color to his cheeks than he did earlier that morning.

He then saw the empty bowl on the coffee table. “Is there enough soup left that I could have a taste?” T.K looked up into Carlos’ eyes and smirked. “I mean if I’m invited to dinner with your parents, shouldn’t I sample the merchandise before agreeing to go.”

Carlos leaned his head closer to T.K and lowly growled, “I believe you have already sampled the merchandise and found it...entirely to your satisfaction.”

T.K.’s pupils dilated and he blew out a shaky breath.  
“Don’t say stuff like that when my dad is sitting three feet from us.”

Carlos winked in response.

T.K quickly kissed Carlos and stood up on slightly shaky legs. “I’m going to get that soup now.” He headed for the kitchen.

Carlos watched T.K.’s butt as he moved away. He really knew how to fill out a pair of jeans.

Carlos was startled out his thoughts by a voice to his right.

“Carlos, I’d appreciate it if you kept the flirting to a G level when I’m in the room. Even if I’m asleep.”

Carlos blushed. “Yes, sir!”

Embarrassed, Carlos stood. “I should go see if T.K. needs any help in the kitchen.”

He could hear Owen chuckling as he quickly fled the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
